We are paying for Key and Coleman to attend the World Cup
John Key and Jonathan Coleman are attending the World Cup on the taxpayer’s tab.
politicans
john key
Let’s keep politics out of Rugby
The right used to state that politics should be kept out of sport. With John Key politicising the All Blacks to an obscene it may be time for them to reinforce what now appears to be a very reasonable principle.
Kelvin Davis on the Christmas Island Detainees
Kelvin Davis’s recent visit to Christmas Island has revealed that New Zealand citizens are living in shocking conditions. And meanwhile John Key’s talk of giving the Australians a “blunt message” appears to have had negligible effect.
#JKLovePoetry
Odes to the very special love and yearning that John Key seems to feel for Richie McCaw.
Key not taking us with him on the flag
John Key’s antics trying to drum up support for a flag change are getting increasingly desperate, but NZ isn’t listening.
John Oliver on Key: Every pic is a dic pic
John Key provides a never ending flow of material for John Oliver’s show Last Week Tonight.
TVOne’s reporting of the latest Colmar Brunton Poll result
The latest Colmar Brunton poll shows that the opposition block is solidly ahead of National. Yet One News chose to concentrate only on the preferred Prime Minister result and attack Andrew Little because of marginal change.
Our influence in Australia
Key has failed to budge Australia on the detention and deportation of Kiwis. Apart from the photo ops and the mutual admiration society, our actual influence is zero.
Rugby or global leadership?
John Key seems to prefer that New Zealand provides leadership in entertainment than in the areas that really matter.
Has John Key had a wank recently?
Apparently this is a question we ask in the media nowadays. Remember when the office of PM used to have a little dignity?
Just another coverup
The Nats changing lines on the Taji report look like just another routine coverup of just another routine lie. At least, I hope so, because not knowing / caring about the report would be worse.
The Taji report
An American report which came out shortly before Key’s visit to our troops at Taji camp in Iraq is strongly critical of conditions there, and of the efficacy of the training process. Key claims he didn’t know, yet another of his outbreaks of “convenient ignorance”.
Caption Contest
The normal rules apply. Keep it seemly …
As expected, TPPA gives a peanut return
In 15 to 25 years, long long after I have retired, and the TPPA is fully realised. It may be worth an extra $260 million per year in possible tariff benefits. By contrast, the China Free Trade Agreement within 5 years was increasing our exports each year by an extra $350 million. But the costs for the TPPA start as soon as it is signed. We may make a profit off it in 10 years. This is not a good deal.
TPPA agreement reached
The TPPA has been agreed to. Dairy access improvement is minimal, there will be a cost hit on Pharmac and every industry but Tobacco will be able to access the investor state dispute resolution procedure.
TPPA deal close?
The TPPA is said to be close to being concluded with resistance to change in Pharmaceutical rules being provided by Australia, not New Zealand. And John Key says that the deal isn’t a very good deal for Dairy.
Hide on the Collins challenge
Rodney Hide also reckons that Collins is positioned to challenge Key.
Where is Peseta Sam?
This week we have had the release of the Priestley Report into the escape of Phillip Smith which details a litany of problems within Corrections and overnight there have been reports of rape and assault on a person moved from segregation in Serco managed South Auckland Correctional Facility. But no sign of Corrections Minister Sam Lotu Iiga. Where is he?
Speech to UN height of hypocrisy
Key’s little lecture to the UN would have been delivered with a lot more moral authority if it wasn’t built on the heights of hypocrisy.
Three minutes to midnight. John Key incoherent.
Same ole, same ole. Except, this time, US neoconservative imperalism might have a problem. Russia.
Stephenson beats his critics
Respected journalist Jon Stephenson has extracted an apology and payment from the NZ Defence Force for their attack on his work in 2011. He is owed an apology from John Key too…
BSA: Hosking wrong on ponytail case
The echos of John Key’s ponytail pulling harassment of a waitress continue.
Key pinches Labour’s Kermadec Sanctuary Policy
National’s announced intention to create a marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands looks remarkably like Labour’s policy from the last election. And why did John Key not tell his caucus beforehand?
What other countries are doing about climate change
There is hope that the cumulative effect of all the international pledges for the Paris climate change conference may buy the world some time to prevent runaway global warming. Some countries are pledging to becoming carbon neutral. New Zealand’s pledge is pathetically weak in comparison.
Groser don’t go
Greenpeace, 350 Aotearoa and the Coal Action Network have jointly urged John Key not to send Tim Groser to Paris for the climate change talks because the Government’s policies and proposed response will embarrass New Zealand and damage its international reputation.
From out of the Shadows
Goff has attempted to throw a fire-cracker into the notion of the National Party leadership and caucus being one big happy family. Is this the Labour Party’s way of sowing seeds of discontent without tainting the image of their leader? It is NOT Dirty Politics by any normal understanding of that term as captured in the book of the same name. Is this Goff’s role now? To box from the shadows?
Nats and reproductive rights
The Nats are obsessed with the reproductive rights of those they deem “unfit”. Once again they are floating the idea of compulsory controls.
The political machinations of the flag debate
The Green’s agreement with National to allow for Red Peak to be a referendum candidate potentially helps John Key out of a major difficulty and raises issues about the state of the Labour-Green relationship.
Folding on the TPP
As last ditch efforts to pass the TPP continue, Key is softening us up to sign a bad deal. Coincidentally, two articles yesterday highlight the risks to NZ.
Pandas for everyone
John Key is trying to divert attention away from the numerous problems the country is facing by talking about pandas.
Fact checking Key on government performance
A year after the last election John Key lists his government’s achievements. It’s a pretty desperate effort.
Twelve long months
Twelve months on from the last election and that brighter future we were promised has not happened.
Herald gets it wrong on flag referendum
The Herald editorial this morning suggests that Andrew Little is handling the flag referendum poorly but makes some stunningly simple mistakes that undermines its conclusions.
The strip mining of Housing Corp is accelerated
Not only is Housing Corp planning to pay a $118 million dividend to the Crown this year but hidden away in its accounts is the payment of a further capital contribution of $336 million. Talk about strip mining …
Hot hotter hottest
Plenty of distractions in the political circus at the moment, but meanwhile…
Key and Abbott are prepared to sacrifice the Pacific
Climate change induced sea level increases poses a huge threat to most Pacific Islands. They are seeking support for a goal of limiting temperature increases to no more than 1.5 degrees. Australia and New Zealand are insisting on sticking to a goal of no more than 2 degrees even though this will likely mean that many Islands will disappear.